Reborn in the 1980s: I made my fortune hunting wild game in Changbai Mountain

Ever since Yue Feng met Wu Keji, the old man had always given Yue Feng the impression of a reclusive master with real talent and learning.

He rarely fails in anything he plans or schemes; he's almost always on his way to success.

Judging from what Grandpa Wu said, it seems like he has something important to discuss.

Wu Keji glanced at Yue Feng with a sneer and said, "I won't tell you yet, because you're the one who tried to sow discord! Am I craving that wild duck meat?"

"Speak properly, and I'll consider whether or not to tell you!"

The old man was clearly teasing the child, but Yue Feng couldn't argue back. Even though he knew it was just a joke, he had to play along.

"Hehehe, grandpa, I was wrong! I was being petty and judging you by my own standards. I'll definitely pluck every last feather from this duck! Don't be like me!" Yue Feng said while doing his work.

"That's more like it. Since you know you're wrong and can correct your mistakes, I'll forgive you this time!"

Wu Keji nodded, exchanged a glance with Zhao Dashan, and then the two nodded to each other knowingly.

"Hmm? What's the matter?" Yue Feng continued to ask.

"In the past few days, your master and I have walked around the area around the back mountain and found several mountain sites with very good conditions!"
I'd like to ask you, do you have any plans, either on your own or by organizing the villagers, to start some new side businesses?

"A side hustle? What kind of side hustle?" Yue Feng asked, a thought striking him.

Zhao Dashan couldn't hold back any longer and blurted out, "Ginseng! Your uncle said there are several plots of land behind here, and the terrain and soil conditions are perfect for growing ginseng!"

Wu Keji nodded and continued, "In recent years, the market for ginseng has been quite good."

Now that the government has loosened its overall management, ordinary farmers can plant freely!

I have quite a few long-term cooperative channels. If you're willing to work with them, I can take advantage of the time to help you with the selection process!
Of course, if you don't have this idea, then forget it! It was just something your master and I came up with on the spur of the moment when we happened to pass by those mountain areas and thought they were suitable!

"This……"

Yue Feng did not nod immediately upon hearing this, but pondered for a few minutes.

Yue Feng had considered growing ginseng a couple of years ago.

The reason it was not implemented is related to policy factors, but that is not the main reason.

The main reason is that this stuff has a long payback period; even garden ginseng takes more than three years to see any benefits.

"Are you worried that it will take too long to see results?" Wu Keji asked, as if he had seen through Yue Feng's concerns long ago.

"Yeah, that's the main point of hesitation! Although the villagers are a bit wealthier now, they still have a narrow perspective! Not many people in our village have planted this before, so promoting it would be a bit of a thankless task!" Yue Feng said truthfully.

Wu Keji nodded: "That's true! Think about it, there's still time for autumn planting this year!"

"Okay! I'll boil some water first to pluck the duck's feathers!"

Yue Feng responded and then started working.

While plucking the fur, Yue Feng kept thinking about the brief exchange they had just had.

As the old saying goes, listen to the underlying meaning of words. After dealing with Grandpa Wu so many times, Yue Feng had long since moved beyond simply listening to whatever the old man said.

If he were to encourage Yue Feng to lead a group to plant ginseng simply because he saw a few suitable mountain areas, that would definitely not be the style of a big shot like Wu Keji.

Based on this consideration, Yue Feng couldn't help but delve deeper into the matter.

Often, things are separated by just a thin layer of paper.

Thinking deeper into the issue will bring a clearer perspective.

After thinking for a while, Yue Feng suddenly realized a possibility.

Is it possible that Grandpa Wu wants to retire from his life of crime and is then looking for a way out for future endeavors?

Asking Yue Feng to grow ginseng was just a preliminary question; the deeper meaning likely lies in considering the possibility of entrusting Yue Feng with the business of growing both forest-grown and garden-grown ginseng.

Having figured this out, Yue Feng's thoughts began to wander, and he continued to ponder.

If you ask Yue Feng whether he is interested in this new path to wealth, as long as it allows the villagers to earn money and has more options, Yue Feng is indeed quite tempted.

The purchasing and sales points now have a daily surplus profit, so even if they have to cover the initial expenses, the pressure is not significant.

Ginseng cultivation has certainly been a good business in recent years, but it won't be until after the 1990s that prices will plummet due to an explosive increase in production.

On the other hand, Yue Feng had little interest in taking over and controlling the ginseng farming organization under Grandpa Wu's control.

He was quite content with his current relatively low-pressure lifestyle. Running an entire ginseng farming organization was too much trouble, and Yue Feng had no interest in that. Even this trip to Beijing, where he inadvertently got involved in some trouble, annoyed him greatly.

Considering this, Yue Feng ultimately decided against making any trouble. Although Wu Da Ye's apprentices, such as Xiao Hui, were not very old, their experience in the martial arts world was much stronger than Yue Feng's. Yue Feng was definitely not the best choice for successor, or even the main candidate for consideration.

While pondering the problem, Yue Feng swiftly used boiling water to scald and remove the feathers from the fat duck.

To be honest, these mallards that have been fattening up for autumn and haven't flown away yet are really fat. Even after their feathers have been plucked, you can see obvious subcutaneous fat through their skin.

After cleaning the prey, Yue Feng quickly chopped the meat into pieces and put it in the pot.

Yue Feng personally took charge of the work, while Zhao Dashan and Wu Keji stood by, drinking tea and giving instructions. Chili peppers, spices, and other ingredients were added to the pot in the correct proportions, and the water was brought to a boil over high heat. Before long, the wild duck in the pot emitted an enticing aroma.

It was an hour and a half later when the two pots of meat were stewed.

After clearing the table and heating up the vintage Moutai, Yue Feng and his two sons quickly set up their meal. "Tsk tsk, Old Zhao, smell this! How does this wild duck meat taste, cooked the way I told you?" Old Wu's nose twitched slightly as he proudly showed off to Zhao Dashan.

Zhao Dashan was even more direct, picking up his chopsticks and stuffing a piece of succulent duck meat into his mouth.

Zhao Dashan commented objectively, "The meat is stewed until it's very tender! I didn't expect it to be so delicious when stewed!"

I hunted a lot of ducks when I was younger, but back then I mostly roasted or grilled them. I've never stewed them over a high flame before!

"Of course, would I lie to you! Xiao Feng, hurry up and sit down! This meat is stewed until it's very tender. Your master's teeth aren't what they used to be, he'll definitely try to steal some from us!" Wu Keji greeted Yue Feng with a smile, while also picking up a piece of wild duck meat with his chopsticks.

Seeing the two of them joking around like children, Yue Feng silently poured them both full glasses of wine before sitting down.

"When you were plucking the fur just now, I noticed you were frowning. What were you thinking?"

Wu Keji picked up a piece of duck neck and began to eat it with great relish, while asking Yue Feng a question.

Yue Feng said, "Grandpa, I've been thinking about this for a while now, and I don't know if my thoughts are correct. If I've gone astray, please don't laugh at me!"

Wu Keji nodded: "Okay, no need for pre-emptive warnings. We men can just say whatever comes to mind. There's no need for all that formality we've learned from outsiders!"

"Based on my understanding of your usual work style, if it were just something as simple as growing ginseng, it wouldn't be worth your personal involvement. But after thinking about it, there are two possibilities!"

One possibility is that you want to expand the business further and turn this area behind my house into our industrial base! You need to find a trustworthy person to manage this area, which is why you thought of me!

After Yue Feng finished explaining the first possibility, he didn't rush to say anything more. Instead, he looked at Wu Keji, trying to glean something from the other man's micro-expressions.

As a result, of course, nothing was found. Wu Keji's gaze was deep, and his expression remained unchanged.

“Keep going!” Wu Keji finished gnawing on a piece of duck neck and then gestured for Yue Feng to continue.

Yue Feng continued, "The second possibility, I think, is less likely, but it's still in line with your style! Are you thinking of retiring from the business, but haven't decided on a successor yet, and want to test me out as a backup option?!"

Upon hearing Yue Feng mention the word "successor," Wu Keji and Zhao Dashan exchanged a glance and both smiled in unison.

"Hahaha, Lao Zhao, what did I tell you! Xiao Feng has improved a lot since before!" Wu Keji said to his old brother Zhao Dashan with great satisfaction.

Zhao Dashan smiled and nodded, "You're absolutely right! In my eyes, Xiaofeng has always seemed a bit immature! Although he hasn't made any major mistakes in serious matters, he always seems to lack a certain finesse!"
I never imagined that I, as the mentor, wouldn't be as accurate as you, the grandpa! Xiao Feng really thought of that!

Hearing the words of his two elders, Yue Feng knew that he was indeed on the right track in his thinking.

"Are you really planning to have me join your organization's ginseng farmers' association?" Yue Feng scratched his head.

Wu Keji smiled and nodded, then shook his head.

"I always like to have multiple options and make preparations when I do things! I've been observing your reaction to what you said since I tested you earlier!"
You're living a good life now, your farm is thriving, and you also have restaurants and other businesses that bring in money every day. You're definitely not very interested in this whole ginseng farming business!
Although you live on the fringes of the martial arts world, I don't consider you a member of that world!

Wu Keji's assessment of Yue Feng was quite accurate. Yue Feng was not a member of the Jianghu (江湖, the martial arts world), but he had been involved in it through hunting and conflicts. Currently, he was a "free man" who had no enemies (all of whom were dead) and had no need to easily get involved in the murky waters of the Jianghu.

Yue Feng nodded, looked at Wu Keji and asked, "It's Xiao Hui and the others. Do you think there are any risks?"
If you have everything planned out, then I really don't want to get involved. It's not something a smart person should do to instruct an expert when you're an outsider!

However, if you have any other taboos or need me to do anything, you can just tell me directly!

You've saved my life more than once. Given the bond between us, I wouldn't even flinch if you asked me to do something!

Even if it's something related to the underworld, something I'm not good at, I can find friends who can definitely back me up and won't let you down!

Upon hearing Yue Feng's words, Wu Keji picked up the wine glass on the table, clinked it with Zhao Dashan's, and then took a sip.

After taking a sip of wine, he asked unhurriedly, "The friend you mentioned who's there to back you up, is that Zhang Wenhui?"

"Well, the only one I can think of right now is Brother Hui. He's doing pretty well in Mandalay. He has money and brothers. If it's a matter of force, he should be reliable!"

"If you still feel that things aren't quite right with Brother Hui, I can ask my friends in Beijing to help me find people through other channels. If all else fails, I can use my connections to get a few of my brothers out of the military, no problem!" Yue Feng said, counting on his fingers without reservation.

Upon hearing this, Wu Keji raised an eyebrow slightly, picked up a piece of oily, bright red dried chili from boiling water, and put it in his mouth.

The old man wasn't afraid of the spiciness; he chewed while looking at Yue Feng, as if he were pondering something.

A few seconds later, Wu Keji said, "How much do you know about Zhang Wenhui? Do you know how many men he has, and who his best men are?"

Before Yue Feng could answer, Wu Keji continued, "You don't know! You just think that because you and your master saved Zhang Wenhui's life, and the other party has been grateful to you and has been showing you goodwill, you naturally assume that you can just ask for help, right?"

Yue Feng scratched his head: "Hmm!"

"Silly child, have you ever thought that your own existence, or rather, the endorsement of the people behind you, is also a factor in his ability to develop rapidly, expand his business, and reduce cooperation risks?"
It's true that you have a personal relationship. This kind of relationship is useful when things are going well, but whether it will still be effective in times of need is another question!

Now that he's established himself, if you were Zhang Wenhui, would you not hesitate to ask him to sacrifice his brother's life to help us?

Even if you are capable, will your partner agree?
Viewing relationships through the lens of emotions is a very immature behavior!
Especially be wary of those who live on the edge and risk their lives in society!

If you fail to achieve anything and don't expect anything in return, those who helped you might help you again next time. However, it's hard to say whether someone who owes you a favor will help you next time.

Only by observing the other party's actual reaction to a situation can we draw a conclusion!
To deal with people in the martial arts world, unless you're sworn brothers, you must always think things through carefully to ensure your success. Otherwise, one wrong move can lead to total defeat!

"Yes, sir, I've got it!"

Yue Feng nodded in agreement upon hearing the insightful opinions of these seasoned veterans, without arguing back.

"However, you mentioned that you could ask your friends in the capital to help find some soldiers. That's something we can definitely take advantage of! Didn't those soldiers go on a mission before? The one where they caught the 'hanging sheep'?"

"Yes, I'm confident about that! Even if we don't contact the Wang family, we should be able to get people through other people!"
Uncle Wu, what exactly are you worried about? If you have any concerns about this, please let me know in advance so I can prepare accordingly! (End of Chapter)